


For the Good

by orphan_account



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Beta Phichit Chulanont, Confident Katsuki Yuuri, Discrimination, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Miscommunication, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Prince Katsuki Yuuri, Prince Victor Nikiforov, ignorance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:14:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10766874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: With the High King ready to step down, Alpha Crown Prince Viktor Nikiforov needs a mate before he can be made King of Moskal. Omega Prince Katsuki Yuuri of Hasetsu would be more than happy to stay at home and rule by his sister's side his entire life, but with Moskal's proposal and the threat of war if it is refused, Yuuri agrees.Society's views on Omegas greatly differ between the two countries, and suddenly Yuuri is viewed as subhuman, even by his betrothed. The prideful Omega prince doesn't react well to his new surroundings, but will he manage to overcome the stigma and prove the stereotypes wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

A loud and persistent knock on his chamber doors rouses Yuuri from his sleep. "One moment," he calls, rubbing his eyes and peeling back his blankets. He pulls on his dressing robe "You may enter." he says, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

He sees his personal advisor, Phichit, enter his room, a grave look in his dark eyes. Yuuri immediately stands up straigher, more alert.

"Your Highness, I apologize for waking you," he says, slightly winded, seemily tired from running, "but the Emperor requests you in the court room before the court session starts today. Preferably as soon as possible."

"Is something wrong?" Yuuri asks, his eyes widening. If his father needs to speak with him directly, not addressing it in court, the matter must be grave.

"I'm sorry your Highness, I wasn't given any further information. I will rouse your assistant to help you dress." Phichit apologizes, turning back toward the doors.

"Thank you, but I can dress myself today, Phichit." Yuuri declines. Phichit nods and turns back, closing the chamber doors behind him as he leaves. 

Yuuri quickly dresses for the day, flitting around his chamber getting ready, the dread in the pit of his stomach steadily worsening. If word has to come directly to him in addition to his sister, Crown Princess Katsuki Mari, the topic must be very, very important. In record time Yuuri is dressed and proper, and quickly walking down the corridors to the court rooms. Throwing open the door, he sees his parents, Emperor Katsuki Toshiya and Empress Consort Katsuki Hiroko sitting on the raised platform in the back of the room. His sister is sitting at her fathers side, and they are all talking quietly. All heads turn toward Yuuri as he steps up onto the platform, taking his seat to the right of his mother. 

"You requested my presence before the court session today?" Yuuri asks. 

"Yes, son we have just received a message from the King of Muskal, he is planning on stepping down." Toshiya explains. 

Yuuri feels his chest easing up. This news isn't as bad as he had previously expected. 

"As you know, customs are different in the west, so the Crown Prince must be mated before he can ascend." he continues. 

"The Crown Prince officially asked for your hand in marriage this morning." 

Yuuri blinks. "What? We already have a long-standing alliance with Muskal, they wouldn't gain anything by a marriage between the families!" Yuuri says, panicked. 

Hiroko pulls her son into a sideways hug, smoothing his hair. Yuuri breathes in the calming lavender scent of his omega mother. 

"They wouldn't gain anything but a royal-blooded male omega." Mari says with a sigh. Male omegas are the least common gender, but they are entirely normal in most eastern countries. In the west, male omegas are less common, and are sometimes viewed as magical. They are revered for their fertility and beauty, and any male omega is immediately married to royals or nobility after they present, sometimes as early as 15. Yuuri shudders while thinking about the way his people are viewed as things in other places around the world. 

"One more thing," Toshiya starts. Yuuri can feel his mothers grip on him tighten. "They have threatened to null our alliance and declare war if we refuse." 

Silence envelops the room. Millions of thoughts swirl inside Yuuri's head. War and deaths and suffering coming to his country if he refuses this offer. As fear overcomes Yuuri, a small flicker of anger makes his eyes shine. How dare Muskal threaten his country like this! Hasetsu has a small army and navy, opting to remain neutral in as many conflicts as possible. Muskal would crush them in a heartbeat. The King and his son are treating Yuuri like something that is rightfully theirs, essentially stealing him away from his family and country. Yuuri is well aware of the keen eyes locked on him as he steams. 

"Otousan, what do we do?" Yuuri asks his father pleadingly. 

"In court today we will address this and hear arguments. Son, I'm incredibly sorry that it has come to this. I will never force you to do this if you refuse, a war is well worth your happiness." Toshiya promises. Yuuri bites his lip, looking down, willing the tears to stop building behind his eyes. He doesn't want to be the cause of a war. 

~~~

The horrified gasps coming from the nobles in court today are enough for Yuuri. He won't. He will not be the cause of a war like this. If this means he is forced into a marriage to a seemingly heartless prince, so be it. An arranged marriage was always on the table for Yuuri, as is usual for second children of royalty. It just because a reality much faster than he has been expecting. 

"Your Majesty," starts a nobleman "what do you see as our options here?"

"I am leaving this up to my son. I will not force him into a marriage, but if he chooses to accept we will reply with our list of conditions. If met, the agreement will become final." 

All eyes in the hall turn to Yuuri. He keeps his chin high, despite desperately wanting to cower. 

"I am allowing him until this evening to decide." Toshiya finishes. " That concludes this mornings court session. I will send word of further announcements." 

The noblemen all stand and file out of the room, leaving the royal family behind. 

"Yuuri, tell me what you're thinking." Hiroko prompts. 

"I- I think I'm going to accept. I have a duty to my country and I cannot let my people down like this." Yuuri responds, lip quivering. 

The family all nods solemnly in agreement. Sacrifices must be made as a royal, but Yuuri never thought it would come to this. His parents wouldn't force him, but he knows how much they don't want to go to war, not with the expenses and political troubles it would cause. His decision was final. 

~~~

After many weeks of correspondence about terms, the agreement became final. Yuuri was to be married to Crown Prince Victor Nikiforov of Muskal in one month. His father was able to negotiate out a clause that would necessitate at least one heir in Yuuri's first year of marriage. The Muskal's would not budge on mating and bonding though. There would be a wedding ceremony, and on that night Yuuri was expected to induce a heat so that his husband could claim him. The marriage could not be finalized until the pair had bonded. The thought made Yuuri sick to his stomach. Yuuri would, however, be allowed to bring one advisor or servant with him to Muskal. Yuuri has  
accepted his fate. He has even allowed himself to hope, if only a little bit. He hoped his future husband would be kind and attentive. He would try not to get his hopes up, though.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri says goodbye to his life in Hasetsu and makes the long journey to Muskal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! welcome back, and thank you so much for reading! first of, i just want to send a million thanks to my amazing beta explanationintime here on ao3.

Yuuri stands at the doors of the throne room. He and his chosen advisor, Phichit, are scheduled to leave and start their long journey to Muskal at midday. He will see his family once again when he departs, but this will be the last time they were all alone together. Thinking about it causes tears to build up behind his eyes. He takes a few moments to compose himself and pushes open the imposing doors. His family's heads all snap toward the door as Yuuri shuffles in and takes a seat next to them. As opposed to sitting at the thrones a mere 30 feet to their right, the family is gathered around a table. Yuuri tucks his feet underneath his legs. His mother's soft hand slips into his when he rests it on the table. The pressure behind his eyes builds again. Just two weeks ago, he had been carefree, with no imposing marriage to think about. His old problems seem so trivial now. 

“Yuuri,” his father starts, “we are all so proud of you. You are doing an immeasurable service to your family and country.” Tears become visible in his father's eyes. “I cannot thank you enough for your sacrifice.” A steadily building sob finally escapes Yuuri’s mouth once his father stops talking. His mother’s arms wrap around him and her soft scent envelops him. He remembers the carefree days spent in his mother's nest with his sister as a child, and realizes how much he doesn’t want to leave this behind. He feels two more pairs of arms join their embrace, and him and his family sit together on the ground, none of their eyes dry. Yuuri allows himself to breathe and live in in the moment, memorizing the feel of his family's arms around him, their calming scent enveloping him, the feeling of love so overwhelming he nearly chokes on it. 

As much as Yuuri wants that moment to last forever, he knows it can’t. They’re soon interrupted by a knock at the door. Toshiya wipes his eyes and lifts his head. 

“Come in,” he calls out. Phichit opens the door and stands just before it. 

“Your Majesties, it is almost time for Yuuri and I to depart,” he says solemnly. Yuuri pulls himself from his family and the arms around him dissolve. He sees Mari moving towards Phichit to stand before him, a threatening look on her face.

“I entrust you with the safety and care of my younger brother. I expect frequent letters about his wellbeing. Please Phichit, make sure he’s okay,” Mari begs. It’s times like these when he realizes how well-suited his older sister is to be Empress. Phichit nods in response; he has been Yuuri’s advisor and friend for years now, and is deeply trusted by the Katsuki family. 

“Otoutou, I will see you at your wedding,” Mari says, turning around and swiftly walking out of the room. Mari and Phichit are the sole people he knows attending his wedding. Unfortunately, governing a country does not stop for a marriage, and a round trip to Muskal takes at least 3 weeks. Yuuri’s parents must stay behind in order to tend to duties in Hasetsu. 

Yuuri turns around and glances at his parents, still sitting on the floor. They give him small smiles that he tries to return but can't bring himself to. He walks out of the room and back towards his chambers. 

“Phichit, I am sorry to uproot your life like this. I know moving this far can’t be easy on you,” Yuuri apologizes. 

“It is an honor to be able to accompany you, Your Highness,” he responds, a smile on his face. 

Yuuri laughs. “Phichit, as I’ve told you many times, please call me Yuuri when we are alone.” Aside from the fact that he  _ has  _ told Phichit to not address him so formally in private in the past, he thinks that it’ll be nice to have someone call him by his name in Muskal, where it’s likely that no one else will. 

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Phichit says with a smirk, and Yuuri raises his eyebrows. 

“Yuuri,” he amends, the smirk never leaving his face.

~~~

Yuuri looks before him at the many servants, nobles, and court members that have all come to see him off to Muskal. His father steps forward from where he is standing beside Yuuri to address the crowd. 

“We are here today to send my son, Prince Katsuki Yuuri, off to Muskal, where he has accepted a marriage proposal from Crown Prince Victor Nikiforov.  They will be married in 2 weeks’ time, upon his arrival at the palace. He has done us all great service in accepting the proposal, and I want to thank him for upholding his duty to Hasetsu in such a way. I cannot fully express my gratitude,” Toshiya announces, folding himself in a deep bow. The crowd is surprised to see the Emperor bowing to the Prince, but the rest of the crowd soon joins him in a show of respect.  Yuuri remains standing straight as he observes the crowd with tears in his eyes. As he looks out, he remembers what he’s doing this for: his country, his people, who are all depending on him.  He promises himself that he won't let them down. 

~~~

The journey to Muskal is long and taxing. He spends a few days in a carriage as he travels to the main port of Hasetsu. There, he boards a ship, which will take him to the south tip of Muskal, and once he arrives he’s put onto another carriage that will take him to the capital city, Duma, where the castle is located. Yuuri uses his time in the final carriage to take in the western architecture of which he has never seen before. He sees huge cathedrals and buildings with spires hundreds of feet into the air, but they have nothing on the palace, when he finally reaches it. Tall and imposing, the royal castle stands before him now, and he thinks back to the fact that he had accepted the marriage proposal only three and a half weeks ago, but now he is here, in Muskal, and is scheduled to be wedded in 4 days time. 

His carriage stops outside the main gates of the castle, but is quickly ushered inside. When it stops, there’s a guard at the side of the carriage, opening the door and holding an arm out for Yuuri to take. He glances at the arm held out to him in question; back in Hasetsu, this was...an act of courtesy usually presented to a lady. He wills the thought away, and sends a tight lipped smile to the guard as he takes his arm and steps out of the carriage, and he sees Phichit step in line next to him out of the corner of his eye. The guard on his arm doesn't look at Yuuri as he ushers him up the grand staircase to the palace doors. As they get to the top, the grand doors open and Yuuri is speechless. Tall marble pillars stretch up to touch the highest ceiling Yuuri has ever seen. Intricate detailing in the same pristine marble covers the walls of the room. The stone he is surrounded with is a pure white, and the decorations in the room all have gold accents. There are doors that lead in various directions away from the foyer, and two staircases towards the back. This palace, Yuuri thinks, is nothing like his home; it’s much more eccentric, and he hasn’t even seen a fraction of it yet. He and Phichit are stopped in the middle of the room when the beta guard abruptly drops his arm, turns around, and walks away. Yuuri exchanges a wary and confused look with Phichit. 

“Ah, Your Grace, welcome to the castle.” Yuuri turns as he hears a woman's voice. She's another beta, based on her scent; in fact, Yuuri is surprised that almost all of the guards and attendants that he’s been able to smell are betas. The woman sinks into a deep bow. 

“My name is Alla, I’m here to escort you to your rooms,” she says in a sickly sweet voice. “If you would, please follow me.”

“I thank you for your gracious hospitality,” Yuuri responds politely. 

“Your Grace, it is only the best for you! Do you know of tomorrow's plans yet?” Alla asks. 

“No, could you please explain?” Yuuri asks, cocking his head. 

“Well, you will have tonight to relax after your long journey. You aren't expected at meals or anything, but tomorrow you will be introduced to the court. You’ll attend a meeting with the royal family after that, and finally, a private meeting with the Prince.” Alla explains, all while taking twists and turns down different hallways Yuuri’s sure he will never understand. 

“We’re entering the Prince’s wing; your rooms, as well as your attendant’s, will be in here, but after the wedding and coronation you will move into the Prince’s room,” Alla explains. She stops in front of large and imposing wooden doors. 

“These are your chambers. Please relax tonight, all your meals will be brought to you, and if you need anything call for your maids. Some guards should be bringing up your chests now,” Alla says, before smiling and curtsying towards Yuuri and taking off in the direction they came. 

Yuuri looks at Phichit, who nods toward the doors. Upon opening them, Yuuri is surprised to see that his chambers are much like the ones back in Hasetsu. Large, ornate paintings hang on the walls and a large bed topped with many pillows sits in the middle of the room. There are tall arches leading to what looks like a sitting room and a bathroom, as well as a door to a private courtyard outside. 

Phichit whistles, looking around the room with wide eyes. 

“I hope my rooms are this lavish,” he says with a laugh. 

Yuuri spends a quiet night with Phichit; he meets his maids (one beta and one omega- whose smell reminds him so much of his mother that tears prickle behind his eyes) and drinking tea in his courtyard, the cool spring air surrounding him. He finds himself much more relaxed than he ought to be, he thinks, and falls asleep almost immediately when his head hits the pillow that night.

Yuuri awakes to the scent of his mother- no, not his mother, but the female omega maid he has now.  He’s in Muskal now, not Hasetsu, he reminds himself, sighing and opening his eyes. 

“Good morning, Your Grace. I’ve brought breakfast for you, and once you are done eating, there will be a bath prepared for you,” the young omega all but whispers, not looking Yuuri in the eyes. Yuuri yawns and stretches, sitting himself on the headboard. He lifts himself out of bed and walks to the table in his sitting room, quietly eating his breakfast. It’s odd food, not anything he’s used to, but he eats it so to not be rude, and because he’s also very hungry.

His mind starts to wander; he’s never been very good at handling important political arrangements, and he starts to feel his hands sweat at the thought of attending court soon. He worries about every possible thing there is to worry about. What if he doesn’t understand them? He learned the language of Muskal years ago, as per insistence by his father, but what if they have a different dialect or talk too fast? What if he trips while walking into the room? Even worse, he thinks, is that if his nerves are too strong, it may be detectable in his scent. He’ll be surrounded by alpha males of high social standing, and just the thought of their reaction to him makes his stomach churn. 

“What is your name, Miss?” Yuuri asks the omega maid that’s still standing off to the side of the room, in an attempt to distract himself.

‘Y-Your Highness, my name is, uh, Tanya,” she stutters, eyes going wide at his acknowledgement of her. 

“That’s such a beautiful name!” he exclaims, smiling as warmly as he can. She is stunning, Yuuri can say that much for sure; with long white-blonde hair and wide blue eyes, she is the picture of beauty. Yuuri is still quite fascinated with the pale skin and light features of Westerners, with it being such a far cry from his home country.

As soon as the Yuuri finishes his bowl of food, Tanya sweeps it away. 

“Your bath should be ready now, Your Grace,” she says before scurrying away. Yuuri walks to the bathroom, and enjoys a nice long bath before the beta maid tending to him ushers him out. He pulls on a robe before choosing his finest jūnihitoe- a type of ceremonial robe only worn by court-ladies in his country, and therefore Yuuri has never worn one before. He’s technically being given away as a bride, and his parents assured him that these robes are nothing too abnormal in this context. He calls Phichit into his chambers- seeing as he’s the only one familiar with the intricate ties of his almost 20-layer robe- and after the jūnihitoe is properly on, he pulls out the box containing his circlet. One of his most prized possessions, it was given to him by his father when he turned 10. It’s mostly silver, fits around his head like he was born to wear it, and is embellished with coral gemstones- one of the most rare gems in Hasetsu. With his heavy, layered robe on and his crown on his head, he immediately feels better about his meeting the court. He’s not just Yuuri anymore; he’s now Hasetsu’s ambassador to Muskal, and he’s ready to show the foreign nation that they haven’t made a mistake in this arrangement. 

~~~

Yuuri stands before what have to be the largest doors he’s ever seen in his life. Nothing could have prepared him for the ornateness of the palace he now lives in. Phichit stands to his side, a reassuring presence that calms him. The doors before him will open soon, and when they do, he will introduce himself to his future family and husband in front of the entire court. His hands are shaking and his head is spinning at a thousand miles per hour. He has to bite his own cheek to keep his emotions in check; he has no suppressants in his system, so his scent isn’t dulled or mellowed in the slightest, and any hint of emotion will be easily picked up on. 

All too soon for Yuuri’s liking, the doors open and he sees the faces of many old, intimidating men. He takes a moment, reminding himself to not give in to his omega nature and cower from the intense gazes. Lifting his head, Yuuri walks straight down the aisle towards the thrones at the other end of the room. He feels eyes on him, digging into him and analyzing everything they can see, but he keeps his head up. Tiredness begins to take over; maybe it’s from the effort of keeping himself composed, or maybe it’s from dragging the enormous kimono he is wearing behind him. He finally reaches the foot of the raised platform that holds the thrones, and without looking at the royal family above him, he drops into a deep bow.

“Your Majesties, it is my greatest honor to be accepted into your home and country. I cannot express the gratitude of myself, my family, and my country for the opportunity you have given us,” Yuuri says, still in his bow and gazing at the floor. There is silence from the family, and as it begins to grow longer, Yuuri starts to panic. Did he say something wrong in the unfamiliar language? No, that’s not possible, he practiced it this morning. Did he come on too strong, or-

“Stand up, boy, let me look at your face,” he hears a gruff voice command from above him. Yuuri brings himself up from his bow, only to see the King coming down the steps to approach him. He straightens his back and tilts his chin up; High King Andrei of Muskal is an imposing man, to say the least. Inches taller than Yuuri and almost double his width, Yuuri feels dwarfed by his huge frame. The man’s grey eyes bore into his for a second, before leaving to wander over the rest of his face, just as Yuuri realizes that the Queen has come down as well, and is now touching the folds of his kimono, lifting his arms and squeezing them. Yuuri is humiliated as he’s appraised in a way that makes him feel almost like cattle at an auction. Anger rises in his chest, but he manages to keep himself calm and limp as he lets himself be grabbed and poked for a few more minutes. When the Queen and King finally step back, he glances at his soon to be husband- Crown Prince Victor. Standing regal and tall, a much heavier crown on his head then Yuuri’s own, the Prince glances over him with the same appraising look as his parents. He’s an imposing, almost harsh looking man; all sharp lines and light colors, with the bright blue of his eyes and the silver shine of his hair, and compared to Yuuri’s rounded lines and deep brown eyes and raven hair, his features exude a more striking power. 

And as the appraisal continues, Yuuri’s struck with the horrifying thought that things likely won’t be fine, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seriously, look up a jūnihitoe, theyre beautiful. i based hasetsu 100% off of japan, so all of the cultural stuff i got from there (like coral jemstones and the jūnihitoe) and while Muskal isn't Russia per say, it is heavily based off of it. the name refers to a term that was used to refer to a Russian soldier serving in expeditions.
> 
> this is also way longer than i expected it to be, and sorry for the long wait, but here you go! thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri meets the Royal Family and prepares for his wedding. Things... don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey all! i'm back witch another chapter! sorry this took so long to get published for you guys, i hope you like it!
> 
> many many thanks to my incredible and amazing beta explanationintime here on ao3 <3

As soon as Yuuri is excused by the Royal family and is out of sight, he lets the simmering anger he’s been controlling overtake him.

“Phichit, what did they think they were doing?! I am a Prince, even if I am an Omega, and they have absolutely no right to treat me the way they just did!” he exclaims, clenching his fists and looking around wildly. “They shouldn’t have even  _ touched _ me without permission, let alone grab and squeeze at me as they did.”

“Yuuri, control yourself, they’re coming,” Phichit warns in a low voice. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the Royal family rounds a corner. The King makes eye contact with Yuuri and smirks.

“I look forward to meeting you without the eyes of the court members watching us. My family and I will see you in the tea room presently,” he says, smug smile still on his face. He turns shortly after and continues down the hallway, his family trailing behind him.

“Phichit, that was  _ so  _ ominous! Tell me that you agree with me,” Yuuri pleads, looking at the beta beside him with wide eyes and latching onto his arm. 

“Yuuri, relax, I’ll be right here with you. They can’t and won’t do anything to you, I promise,” he assures and gives Yuuri a few pats on the back. “Now, let's go get you changed and over to meet your future husband and in-laws.” Phichit flashes him a small smile.

Once he’s back in his rooms, Yuuri panics through changing his clothes and getting ready. All his worst fears about this arrangement are coming true, but he thinks back to his family- how badly they need this arrangement- and his country, all of the people back in Hasetsu that are relying on him. Yuuri’s determined to make this work; he needs to be. He knew of the discrimination he’d face in coming here, and came anyways. It’s too late to back out now. 

Soon enough, he finds himself sitting in an overstuffed chair in an enormous tea room, Phichit at his side, the Royal family in front of him.

“Let me formally introduce you to my family,” the King speaks. “My wife, Queen Sophia,” he gestures to the willowy woman sitting at his side, who inclines her chin at Yuuri and doesn't say anything, “my first son, Crown Prince Viktor-” Viktor looks to Yuuri, giving him a tight lipped smile that lasts only a few seconds- “and finally, my second son, Prince Yuri.” The small teen he gestures to outright glares at Yuuri when he sends the boy a smile. 

“It is lovely to meet all of you, and thank you for accepting me into your lovely home,” Yuuri responds, his anger already returning. He tampers it down with a bow. “I am Prince Katsuki Yuuri of Hasetsu, and this is Phichit Chulanont, one of my family's closest kampaku.” Phichit smiles and bows to the family. 

“What does that mean? If you could refrain from using words we don’t know, please,” Prince Yuri spits. Yuuri gapes, waiting for a reprimand or apology from the King or Queen, only to receive none. 

Yuuri clears his throat, determined not to snap back. “In that case, Phichit is my personal advisor.” Yuuri says, gripping his fists. His anger must leak into his scent because the King sniffs the air, and turns to address him.  

“Calm down, boy, get a hold of yourself.” he says, rolling his eyes. Yuuri closes his eyes and lets out a deep breath. 

“Of course, Your Majesty.” he manages to spit out. After a brief silence, the Queen speaks up.

“Now that you’re out of that unflattering…thing, let me have a proper look at you.” She gestures for Yuuri to stand, and he must refrain himself from growing more angry after her blatant disrespect towards an important and traditional part of Hasetsu’s culture. He walks towards her, ready for yet another mortifying appraisal and makes eye contact with Phichit in an attempt to let him know that he shouldn’t try and stop it. 

A hand on his chin, a hand feeling his hair; Yuuri stands and lets himself be surveyed by the woman. This close, he can smell she’s a beta, which still does absolutely nothing to ease his discomfort. At this point, even if she was an omega like him, he would be uncomfortable. The wandering hands drift lower, to his hips and stomach, and he begins to tense. 

“Nice wide hips; he’ll be good for pups, Viktor,” she says as she glances towards her son. Yuuri thinks it’s meant to be a compliment, but it only humiliates him more. She sits back down, Yuuri following suit. He sips at his tea in an attempt to escape the uncomfortable gazes of the rest of the family. No one says anything for a while; the silence drags on until Yuuri speaks up.

“What will my, uhm...duties be here at the castle?” he questions. “In my country I was known for having quite a knack for economics, so in court, I-” 

“Court? Who said anything about that? We don’t have  _ omegas _ in our court,” the King spits, cutting Yuuri off. The stress on the word  _ omega _ makes it seem as if it physically pains him to speak the word. 

Yuuri fumes. Does his immersion in both national and international politics since childhood mean nothing to this man? He tries to keep a lid on his anger, but he can’t help the bit of frustration that leaks out in his tone.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I have been attending court in Hasetsu since I was 10.  I’ve been involved in the political state of my country for around 11 years,” Yuuri rebukes.

“You’re not in Hasetsu anymore, boy. This is a real country, not a collection of islands pretending to be one; the way we represent ourselves actually  _ matters _ here,” the King says, rolling his eyes. 

Yuuri stands up, letting all of his pent up anger seep out of him.  The King had been toeing the line before, but has officially crossed it in the slander of his country. 

“I will have you know, Your Majesty, that Hasetsu has the best economy in the Far East. We have a favorable trade ratio by a far margin and are largely self-sufficient. We are just as much of a country as you are, and-”

Yuuri is cut off when the King slaps him across the face. He stumbles to the side, holding his burning cheek, and he feels his ear is ringing and tears burning behind his eyes. Phichit comes to Yuuri’s side, immediately peeling his hand back and taking a look at his smarting area. He starts speaking to Yuuri in their native tongue.

_ “Yuuri, are you okay? That bastard King, we could have him killed for this. I’m telling Mari about this as soon as she gets here, this can’t wait to be sent in a letter. How dare he?!”  _ he rants. _ “The Prince of an allied country agrees to solidify an alliance through a marriage he doesn’t even  _ want _ to be a part of and is physically assaulted. Yuuri, we need to get you out of here. You’re not marrying any son of that monster.” _ Phichit is seething, now, and moves to push Yuuri out of the room, but Yuuri digs his heels into the ground, refusing to move. 

_ “Phichit, please don’t tell Mari,” _ he begs as tears start to fall from his eyes. _ “It isn’t a big deal, I already agreed to the marriage and it’s too late to back out now; you know that if I do, it’ll just trigger a war between our two nations.” _

_ “Who cares about a war anymore?! These heathens  _ deserve _ a war! If your parents found out about this, they would immediately go to war- no hesitations- if it ensured your safety and well-being, and you know this,” _ Phichit pleads.

“You two can talk in your strange language on your own time. You’ll be meeting one on one with Viktor tomorrow. I hope you’ll learn to hold your tongue before then,” the King says, promptly rising and walking out of the room, his family trailing behind him as Yuuri- hand still gripping his cheek- glares after them. 

~~~

Yuuri gets word the next day that his meeting with Viktor has been cancelled cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances”. Yuuri blesses his lucky stars. After seeing what his family was like, Yuuri’s glad to spend as little time as possible with his future mate.  Instead, Yuuri goes to a wedding garment fitting; the wedding is fast approaching, and is only a few days away. Mari is set to arrive late tonight.

Yuuri should really be more excited to see his sister- he hasn’t seen her in weeks, since before his trip to Muskal- but he’s more apprehensive than anything. His nerves begin to eat at him, and he’s afraid that she’ll see the way he’s treated and do something they’ll both regret. Mari has always been protective over Yuuri. And if word gets out to her about his treatment in Muskal- likely to be attributed to Phichit- it’ll cause unnecessary drama between the two Royal families and countries. 

For the majority of the evening, he sits and worries that the rest of his life is going to play out like this: wasting away in a huge castle that he’ll never call home, unable to engage in court activities and politics in the way he’s been raised to for basically his entire life. He’ll have to have children at some point, too, and the thought of how they’ll be raised is frightening. Will they learn to speak his native language? Will they ever get to meet their grandparents? If one of them presents as an omega, will they be treated similarly to the way he has since his arrival in Muskal? Before he can fall into a full-fledged panic attack, he hears a knock on his door.

“Come in,” he calls, almost positive that it’s Phichit. Sure enough, a few seconds after, Phichit opens the door and walks into the room.

“Yuuri, Mari will be here soon! We should go greet her!” he exclaims, quite obviously more excited than Yuuri. 

They walk down the still unfamiliar hallways, somehow managing to make their way to the front of the castle. Much to his surprise, the entire Royal family already is there. None of them, not even Victor, were there to greet Yuuri when he arrived, and his mind drifts to the fact that he’s an omega, and Mari’s an alpha, and it’s highly likely that they reserve greetings for alpha foreign dignitaries.  _ It’s not as if I’m marrying the Crown Prince, or anything _ , he thinks, but the thoughts come to a halt when a carriage pulls through the gates, stopping down the front steps from where him and Phichit stand next to the Royal family. Yuuri allows a bit of excitement to finally seep through; before this marriage arrangement, he had never been separated from Mari for long, but he hasn’t seen her in over a month by this point. The chauffeur door opens and holds out a hand for Mari to grab; she steps down onto the ground with a grace Yuuri can only expect from the future Empress. He tries to keep his face passive, but the excitement is bubbling beneath his skin and is most likely permeating his scent. As soon as she spots him, the grace Mari carried with her breaks, and she all but runs up the steps to Yuuri, smiling wide and yanking him into her arms.

_ “Yuuri! I’ve missed you so much! How was your journey here? Everything is fine at home, mom and dad miss you, obviously, and wish they could be here,”  _ she rambles in their native tongue. Yuuri pulls back with his hands on her shoulder in order to smile at her. 

_ “They can’t understand you, you know. None of them speak Hasetsan,”  _ he says, laughing. 

_ “What? They should have learned before you came,”  _ she says, almost incredulously, her eyes narrowing.  _ “Oh well. You know I never picked up on much of their language during our tutoring, so I guess you’ll just have to translate for me.” _

She turns to Phichit and gives him a small hug as well, earning several strange looks from the Royal family, and Yuuri reflects on how odd it must be to see a princess hugging a servant.  Yuuri turns to face Muskal’s Royal family.

“My sister, Crown Princess Katsuki Mari, does not speak your language, so I will translate for you,” he offers, only to be met with several haughty and judgemental looks that he can only assume are a result of her inability to speak and understand their language. 

_ “Thank you for allowing me into your home. The Emperor sends his regards,” _ Mari says kindly, Yuuri translating quickly in his head and repeating the message.. 

“She is certainly most welcome,” the King says, but doesn’t sound welcoming at all. He promptly turns and walks back into the castle, the rest of the Royal family following after him.

They retreat to Yuuri’s rooms, where Yuuri and Mari spend the rest of the evening catching up, and he catches himself close to tears too many times. Mari returns to the guest room she’s staying in around midnight, and it’s not until he’s alone in his rooms that Yuuri finally lets his tears fall.

~~~

Yuuri finds himself surprised that he’s never involved in wedding preparations. He had assumed that his schedule would be hectic, and that he would be able to help wherever he could; instead, he’s not even consulted. The fact that he won’t have any say in his own wedding is bit disappointing, but it does give him more time to enjoy with his sister. He spends the day before his wedding reminiscing about his childhood and welcoming the next portion of his life. He’s still afraid of getting married, of course, but his inner omega preens at the idea of settling down all the while. It’s likely due to his lack of suppressants and the heat-inducing drugs that had been necessary in order to consummate the marriage.

Throughout the day, Yuuri is cautious in avoiding the topic of how he’s been treated in Muskal thus far. Phichit doesn’t either- much to Yuuri’s satisfaction, but he can tell that he’s not happy about it. Yuuri, Phichit, and Mari all end up together in Yuuri’s rooms that night, falling asleep on the overstuffed couches. 

He’s woken the next morning early by Alla, who shakes him as Yuuri groans. She pushes Mari out of the room, and Phichit follows soon after. His more assertive beta maid all but shoves him into a bath, washing his hair and body until not a single trace of dirt remains. All of his hair- save for that on his head- is removed with a paste smeared on his body, and he’s rubbed with lotion soon after until his skin is smooth and shiny. 

His hair is done up with his circlet on top, and his makeup- nothing too extreme, just some blush on his cheeks and mascara- helps to bring out his features. His wedding attire is then slipped on and finally, after the process is complete, he’s deemed appropriate for the occasion. 

He stands in front of a long mirror, gazing at himself. Behind him, his servants look pleased and proud, but Yuuri is biting back tears. Everything’s so…Muskalese. Nothing about him or the ceremony is what he imagined his wedding would be like; no formal kimonos, no traditional sake- not to mention that his parents won’t even be attending.  Homesickness pierces through him like a spear to the heart as he gazes at himself, looking so foreign, so unrecognisable. A knock sounds at the door and his maids run to open it, Mari stepping in a few minutes later dressed in a formal kimono that makes him smile. His maids quickly leave the room to leave them alone.

_ “Yuuri, you look so beautiful!”  _ she exclaims, looking fit to burst with happiness. Yuuri tries to feel even a fraction of her excitement. 

_ “Thank you Mari. I’m so glad you could be here,” _ Yuuri says as tears begin to fall, walking towards his sister to embrace her. 

_ “You know, mom and dad wish they could be there,”  _ she consoles rubbing his arms,  _ “But I do have a gift for you from mom.” _ She flashes him a wide smile and pulls out a small vial from her kimono. 

_ “I mean, she wouldn’t tell me what it is, but I’m sure you understand,”  _ she shrugs.

Yuuri gazes at the unfamiliar vial in his hand. The small piece of paper on the front reads ‘ _ Lace’.  _ Yuuri gazed at it confusedly, racking his mind in search of an answer that he obviously should know. He’s about to give up, when it hits him:  _ Queen Anne’s Lace _ . His mother sent him a contraceptive for his wedding. He would have been embarrassed, if he had taken the time to feel before he opened the vial and threw back some of the small seeds. He only hopes they take effect before tonight. 

_ “I take it you understand what it is?”  _ Mari questions. Yuuri nods and tries to smile, not offering any more explanation. 

He grimaces, and for the first time in weeks, he lets himself think about his situation; how much he doesn’t want to do this, and how afraid he is that his life from here on out is going to be loveless and empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!! i'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, this coming week is finals week so i assume that i will be incredibly busy. be excited for the next chapter though, it'll be a good one ;)


	4. authors note (mini hiatus??)

hey guys!! sorry i haven't been around, my last week of school was brutal and then i jumped headfirst into softball tournaments. i am super super sorry for the lack of a chapter :(

 

some good news (although it may be bad for you) is that tomorrow morning i am heading to japan for 2 weeks! i can't use any data while i'm there and im not quite sure how much wifi i'll be getting so ill try and write as much as i can while i'm there, but i really can't make any promises.

 

i hope you'll stick with me (mostly just the story haha) until i get back and can write consistently again. your support means so much to me and i can't wait for the story to get more exciting. 

 

until next time!! <3


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